On a recent work trip to Madison, Wis., we extended our visit by a few days for the sole purpose of attending the Dane County Farmers' Market, reported to be one of the biggest and best farmers' markets in the country. Would the market really live up to the hype?

Rue Montorgueil is near the center of Paris, in the 2nd arrondissement, and just a few blocks away from Les Halles — the former wholesale food market for all of Paris. Les Halles' commercial market was moved to the suburbs many years ago, but food shops like those lining rue Montorgueil have replaced it for the local cooks. And what great shops they are!

Take a look at these beets we saw at the Sunday market in Lyon. Do they look a little strange to you? A little shiny? Well, that's because they're cooked — and apparently this is not uncommon at French markets.

The sign by the side of the road read "HONEY" so we stopped the car. There it was ($11 a jar), along with a basket of eggs (50 cents each), a wooden box labeled "Please put money in here" ... and no one to be found.

Following last week's quick stop in Seattle, we finally landed in Kaua‘i, which is a wonderland of farmers' markets and produce stands selling fresh tropical fruits and other island treats. There's a farmers' market (or two or three) practically every day of the week here, and we found the Saturday market at Kaua‘i Community College especially welcoming to both locals and tourists. It's the perfect place to discover new flavors, grab some breakfast or lunch, and shop for gifts and souvenirs.

When I boarded a plane in Los Angeles for Lihue, Kauai, on Sunday morning, my mind was filled with images of tropical fruit and sunshine. Little did I know that my journey would first take me on a rather different detour…

In our wildest fantasies, we have one of these rotisserie-style pepper roasters of our very own. And of course, a fire pit over which to roast them. And a back yard. Until then, here are three very simple ways we can roast a batch of peppers at home.

We are rather fiendish about dried apricots in our house. When we’re not eating them straight from the bag, we’re throwing them in everything from salads to scones. But if we were addicted before, our discovery of ApricotKing Orchards and their online store has elevated things to a seriously dangerous level.